John Helvin
Encyclopedia
John Helvin is an English
artist, author and magician.
. His parents were Irish. Helvin legally changed his surname when he was old enough to do so. He has a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Humanities with Classical Studies.
His career has been a varied one due to a number of personal tragedies. After each one, he took a different direction to build a new life. He has been a ghost writer, an artist, an editor, a publisher and a magician. In his early years he wrote and directed comedy for local venues.
In recent years he has ceased being anonymous in his writings and his name is now put on published articles and books. In January 2009, videos became available on the internet publicising a commissioned art project called Magicians. It consisted of portraits of many British and some American magicians (including Paul Daniels
, Wayne Dobson
, Tommy Cooper
, Penn & Teller
and Ricky Jay
). He has been described as having "huge talent as a magical portrait artist". His portrait of James Randi
received positive notice by Phil Plait of the James Randi Educational Foundation
. The project was completed in early 2010. He has contributed articles to magazines such as Classical Association News (ISSN 963-4789, published by The Classical Association.) , Magicseen (published by MSUK Publications), The LaBaL (published by Al Smith), Mystery Magazine (published by Magic Books By Post) and Goodliffe's Abracadabra
(which closed down at the end of March 2009, after sixty three years of publication, ISSN 0001-3269,). See the Recent Published Works for examples of these.
He is married and has two step children. He has children of his own by a previous relationship. He is very shy and reclusive.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
artist, author and magician.
Life and career
Helvin was born in SwindonSwindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
. His parents were Irish. Helvin legally changed his surname when he was old enough to do so. He has a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Humanities with Classical Studies.
His career has been a varied one due to a number of personal tragedies. After each one, he took a different direction to build a new life. He has been a ghost writer, an artist, an editor, a publisher and a magician. In his early years he wrote and directed comedy for local venues.
In recent years he has ceased being anonymous in his writings and his name is now put on published articles and books. In January 2009, videos became available on the internet publicising a commissioned art project called Magicians. It consisted of portraits of many British and some American magicians (including Paul Daniels
Paul Daniels
Paul Daniels, born Newton Edward Daniels on 6 April 1938, is a British magician and television performer. He achieved international fame through his television series The Paul Daniels Magic Show, which ran on the BBC from 1979 to 1994.-Early life:...
, Wayne Dobson
Wayne Dobson
Wayne Dobson is an award-winning British magician who became well-known through various television appearances in the late 1980s and 1990s. At the height of his fame he had his own television series Wayne Dobson - A Kind of Magic...
, Tommy Cooper
Tommy Cooper
Thomas Frederick "Tommy" Cooper was a very popular British prop comedian and magician from Caerphilly, Wales.Cooper was a member of The Magic Circle, and respected by traditional magicians...
, Penn & Teller
Penn & Teller
Penn & Teller are Las Vegas headliners whose act is an amalgam of illusion and comedy. Penn Jillette is a raconteur; Teller generally uses mime while performing, although his voice can occasionally be heard during their performance...
and Ricky Jay
Ricky Jay
Richard Jay Potash , better known by the stage name Ricky Jay, is an American stage magician, actor, and writer. He is a sleight-of-hand expert and is notable for his card tricks, card throwing, memory feats, and stage patter.-Life and career:...
). He has been described as having "huge talent as a magical portrait artist". His portrait of James Randi
James Randi
James Randi is a Canadian-American stage magician and scientific skeptic best known as a challenger of paranormal claims and pseudoscience. Randi is the founder of the James Randi Educational Foundation...
received positive notice by Phil Plait of the James Randi Educational Foundation
James Randi Educational Foundation
The James Randi Educational Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 1996 by magician and skeptic James Randi. The JREF's mission includes educating the public and the media on the dangers of accepting unproven claims, and to support research into paranormal claims in controlled...
. The project was completed in early 2010. He has contributed articles to magazines such as Classical Association News (ISSN 963-4789, published by The Classical Association.) , Magicseen (published by MSUK Publications), The LaBaL (published by Al Smith), Mystery Magazine (published by Magic Books By Post) and Goodliffe's Abracadabra
Goodliffe's Abracadabra
Abracadabra was a British weekly magic magazine whose publication life spanned sixty-three years. The first issue was published on the 2nd of February 1946; the last issue was published on the 28th of March 2009; a total of 3,296 issues.....
(which closed down at the end of March 2009, after sixty three years of publication, ISSN 0001-3269,). See the Recent Published Works for examples of these.
He is married and has two step children. He has children of his own by a previous relationship. He is very shy and reclusive.
Recent Published Works
- The Estranged (2006). Existential novel; limited edition published by Existence.
- The Number of The Beast (2006)
- Antigone of Sophocles Editor (2006)
- A Fragment of Pindar in Classical AssociationClassical AssociationThe Classical Association is a British learned society in the field of classics, and a registered charity.The association was founded on 19 December 1903, and its objects are defined in its constitution as:...
News (December 2006) - Ajax of Sophocles Editor (2007) and other similar titles that year.
- Aesopus in Classical AssociationClassical AssociationThe Classical Association is a British learned society in the field of classics, and a registered charity.The association was founded on 19 December 1903, and its objects are defined in its constitution as:...
News (June 2007) - Trick or treat 2 in AbracadabraGoodliffe's AbracadabraAbracadabra was a British weekly magic magazine whose publication life spanned sixty-three years. The first issue was published on the 2nd of February 1946; the last issue was published on the 28th of March 2009; a total of 3,296 issues.....
(21 June 2008) - In Defence of Alciphron: part 1 in AbracadabraGoodliffe's AbracadabraAbracadabra was a British weekly magic magazine whose publication life spanned sixty-three years. The first issue was published on the 2nd of February 1946; the last issue was published on the 28th of March 2009; a total of 3,296 issues.....
(13 September 2008) - In Defence of Alciphron: part 2 in AbracadabraGoodliffe's AbracadabraAbracadabra was a British weekly magic magazine whose publication life spanned sixty-three years. The first issue was published on the 2nd of February 1946; the last issue was published on the 28th of March 2009; a total of 3,296 issues.....
(27 September 2008) - Magic Comes to Swindon in AbracadabraGoodliffe's AbracadabraAbracadabra was a British weekly magic magazine whose publication life spanned sixty-three years. The first issue was published on the 2nd of February 1946; the last issue was published on the 28th of March 2009; a total of 3,296 issues.....
(15 November 2008) - Here Today; Gone Tomorrow in AbracadabraGoodliffe's AbracadabraAbracadabra was a British weekly magic magazine whose publication life spanned sixty-three years. The first issue was published on the 2nd of February 1946; the last issue was published on the 28th of March 2009; a total of 3,296 issues.....
(6 December 2008) - Merry Christmas Mr Jordan in AbracadabraGoodliffe's AbracadabraAbracadabra was a British weekly magic magazine whose publication life spanned sixty-three years. The first issue was published on the 2nd of February 1946; the last issue was published on the 28th of March 2009; a total of 3,296 issues.....
(20 December 2008) - Dead Man's Hand in AbracadabraGoodliffe's AbracadabraAbracadabra was a British weekly magic magazine whose publication life spanned sixty-three years. The first issue was published on the 2nd of February 1946; the last issue was published on the 28th of March 2009; a total of 3,296 issues.....
(31 January 2009) - Ye Olde Penn & Teller Card Trick in AbracadabraGoodliffe's AbracadabraAbracadabra was a British weekly magic magazine whose publication life spanned sixty-three years. The first issue was published on the 2nd of February 1946; the last issue was published on the 28th of March 2009; a total of 3,296 issues.....
(28 February 2009) - The Sherlock Holmes Book of Magic in AbracadabraGoodliffe's AbracadabraAbracadabra was a British weekly magic magazine whose publication life spanned sixty-three years. The first issue was published on the 2nd of February 1946; the last issue was published on the 28th of March 2009; a total of 3,296 issues.....
(21 March 2009) - Paul Daniels in Musical Magic in AbracadabraGoodliffe's AbracadabraAbracadabra was a British weekly magic magazine whose publication life spanned sixty-three years. The first issue was published on the 2nd of February 1946; the last issue was published on the 28th of March 2009; a total of 3,296 issues.....
(21 March 2009) - The Merry Christmas Magic Card Trick (2009)
- The Last Incantation in The LaBaL (April 2009)
- In Search of the Paul Daniels of the Classical World in Classical AssociationClassical AssociationThe Classical Association is a British learned society in the field of classics, and a registered charity.The association was founded on 19 December 1903, and its objects are defined in its constitution as:...
News (June 2009) - Alciphron a chapter in Essays (2009)
- The Bristol Day of Magic in The LaBaL (July 2009)
- A Briefe and Pleasaunt Treatise, Entituled, Naturall and Artificiall Conclusions, Thomas Hill, The text of 1581 Editor (2009)
- The Psychology of Street Magic in Magicseen (October 2009)
- Dead Man's Hand in Mystery Magazine (December 2009)
- How Many Magicians Does It Take to Change A Light Bulb in The LaBaL (January 2010)
- Card Stunts in Mystery Magazine (March 2010)
- Z6 in Mystery Magazine (March 2010)
- Magician Spotting in The LaBaL (April 2010)
- Martin Gardner 1914 to 2010 in Mystery Magazine (June 2010), obituary of Martin GardnerMartin GardnerMartin Gardner was an American mathematics and science writer specializing in recreational mathematics, but with interests encompassing micromagic, stage magic, literature , philosophy, scientific skepticism, and religion...
- Inspector Deck in Mystery Magazine (July 2010)
- Ultra Card Divination Plus Chance in The LaBaL (July 2010)
- Essential Magic Conference 2010 in Mystery Magazine (September 2010)
- The Smile of Kristin Scott ThomasKristin Scott ThomasKristin A. Scott Thomas, OBE is an English actress who has also acquired French nationality. She gained international recognition in the 1990s for her roles in Bitter Moon, Four Weddings and a Funeral and The English Patient....
in The LaBaL (October 2010) - Here Today, Gone Tomorrow in Mystery Magazine (December 2010)
- A Smith Quartet in Mystery Magazine (December 2010)
- The Card Chooses You in The LaBaL (January 2011)
- The Art of Iugling by Sa Rid Editor (2011)
- Exclusive Interview with John ArcherJohn Archer-People:*John Archer *John Archer *John Archer , British politician, first person of African descent elected to public office*John Archer , former U.S...
(co-authored with Walt Lees) in Mystery Magazine (April 2011). John ArcherJohn Archer-People:*John Archer *John Archer *John Archer , British politician, first person of African descent elected to public office*John Archer , former U.S...
was one of the winners of the television contest Penn & Teller: Fool UsPenn & Teller: Fool UsPenn & Teller: Fool Us is a British entertainment comedy television programme. Hosted by Jonathan Ross, Fool Us is a magic competition show, which challenges magicians to perform in front of American magician/comedian duo Penn & Teller...
on ITV1, January 2011, and part of this interview discusses that program. - Supersizing Scot in Mystery Magazine (May 2011)
- Paul DanielsPaul DanielsPaul Daniels, born Newton Edward Daniels on 6 April 1938, is a British magician and television performer. He achieved international fame through his television series The Paul Daniels Magic Show, which ran on the BBC from 1979 to 1994.-Early life:...
Talks to John Helvin in Mystery Magazine (June 2011) - The Paul DanielsPaul DanielsPaul Daniels, born Newton Edward Daniels on 6 April 1938, is a British magician and television performer. He achieved international fame through his television series The Paul Daniels Magic Show, which ran on the BBC from 1979 to 1994.-Early life:...
Elephant Illusion in The LaBaL (July 2011) - Jon Marshal Talks to John Helvin in Mystery Magazine (July 2011)
- Ali Cardabra Talks to John Helvin in Mystery Magazine (August 2011)
- Romany, the Diva of MagicRomany, the Diva of MagicRomany, the Diva of Magic is a professional magician.She was featured on the cover of The Linking Ring magazine in August 2007.She was mentored by professional magician and teacher, Jeff McBride,...
Talks to John Helvin in Mystery Magazine (September 2011) - Paul ZenonPaul ZenonPaul Zenon is an English magician and comedian, known for television shows across many genres; in particular his 'Street Magic' specials featuring him performing stunts and tricks in pubs and on the streets....
Talks to John Helvin in The LaBaL (October 2011)